Jesuit Father Joe Arun appointed chairperson of Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission in India

On July 23, the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu appointed Jesuit Father Joe Arun as the chairperson of its 10-member Minorities Commission for a three-year term.

M. M. Abdul Khaddhus will serve as the vice chairperson of the commission, which also includes A. Sornaraj, Hamilton Welson, A. H. Najimudeen, Nagore, Praveen Kumar Tatia, Rajendra Prasad, M. Rameet Kapoor, J. Mohammed Rafi, and S. Vasanth.

Father Arun, a member of the Jesuit Chennai province, succeeds Peter Alphonse, a former Member of Parliament, lawyer, and prominent Congressman.

In addition to his new role, Father Arun is the secretary of the Jesuit Conference of South Asia's higher education secretariat and the director of the Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA), a prestigious business school in Chennai founded 45 years ago.

With 23 years of experience in academia and industry, Father Arun has conducted extensive research in consumer behavior, cross-cultural management, conflict resolution, and identity construction.

He has published numerous books and scientific papers on personal growth, globalization, leadership, and strategy.

His academic credentials include MBAs from IIBM and Madras University and a PhD from Oxford University, UK.

As the former director of St. Joseph's Institute of Management, Trichy led the institution to become one of India's top business schools.

He has also held leadership roles at the Goa Institute of Management, Loyola College, and the Xavier Institute of Business Administration in Palayamkottai.

Established in August 2010, the Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission is a statutory body dedicated to protecting the rights and interests of minorities.

The commission examines issues faced by minorities across the state and recommends appropriate remedial measures to the relevant departments.